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CNN: First child euthanasia in Belgium

Groogrux

Groogrux

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Belgium euthanasia: First child dies - CNN.com


"I think it's very important that we, as a society, have given the opportunity to those people to decide for themselves in what manner they cope with that situation," said Gucht, a supporter of euthanasia legislation.
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Thoughts? As a parent I can't quite wrap my head around it in any rational way yet. Looking forward to some perspective.
 
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Groogrux said:
Belgium-minor-euthanasia




Thoughts? As a parent I can't quite wrap my head around it in any rational way yet. Looking forward to some perspective.
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Not enough information on this particular situation.
I could say that if my kid/s were in agonizing pain, enough to ask to die and their condition was clearly terminal, I would extend to them that choice.
 
My understanding from a report I was reading earlier is that this was the first doctor-assisted suicide in Belgium involving a minor and they were 17 years old.

Very limited details available so not keen to comment others than to say It's an awful situation to be faced with for all concerned and I would not wish it on anyone.

17-year-old is first minor to be granted euthanasia in Belgium | Reuters
 
Groogrux said:
Belgium euthanasia: First child dies - CNN.com




Thoughts? As a parent I can't quite wrap my head around it in any rational way yet. Looking forward to some perspective.
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I had understood that the child was 17, in atrocious pain and had to make the decision itself. That is much less intrusive than the mother putting it down for financial reasons before it can be asked like we do it.
 
Without talking about this specific case, because I don't know all the details, I do think euthanasia should be allowed for even young children in very extreme cases. But it can't just be up to the parents. Numerous medical professionals and perhaps a judge should be involved.
 
There are no specifics in the case of course, but if the kid had cancer the last few weeks can be the most unendurable pain imaginable. I remember watching my mom die of cancer and thinking there is nothing that could ever be worse than having to watch your child die like that. If this saved that kid from that final 2 weeks of hell, then it is a blessing.
 
good for her. I think there is a similar situation about to take place in Oregon. I don't see how any reasonable person would want to interfere in a private decision like this.
 
BrewerBob said:
Without talking about this specific case, because I don't know all the details, I do think euthanasia should be allowed for even young children in very extreme cases. But it can't just be up to the parents. Numerous medical professionals and perhaps a judge should be involved.
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Or a US senator doctor like Bill Frist or aa Governor like Jeb Bush
 
Serenity said:
My understanding from a report I was reading earlier is that this was the first doctor-assisted suicide in Belgium involving a minor and they were 17 years old.

Very limited details available so not keen to comment others than to say It's an awful situation to be faced with for all concerned and I would not wish it on anyone.

17-year-old is first minor to be granted euthanasia in Belgium | Reuters
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Watched the video in the OP. It's regarding a 10 month old baby.

I've always been for assisted suicide for adults. I'd never thought of children taking advantage of it. On one level I can support it and even understand it. On another I'm horrified by it. ....It's children. First instinct and emotional reaction is to NOT allow this. But using the brain and compassion... I'd have to support it. Even if it tore me up if I had to do it for one of my children....course afterwards I might be asking for the same due to the anguish.
 
Kal'Stang said:
Watched the video in the OP. It's regarding a 10 month old baby.

I've always been for assisted suicide for adults. I'd never thought of children taking advantage of it. On one level I can support it and even understand it. On another I'm horrified by it. ....It's children. First instinct and emotional reaction is to NOT allow this. But using the brain and compassion... I'd have to support it. Even if it tore me up if I had to do it for one of my children....course afterwards I might be asking for the same due to the anguish.
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Numerous children have been thru repeated cancer treatments and when after years upon years of treatments, they receive a diagnosis that it is terminal, I have heard that many choose to refuse any more treatment.
Read a news story on why many oncologists, dependent upon the diagnosis, refuse treatments that may add a few month or less than a year to their life.
Reason, the treatment incurs massive suffering for little gain.
As to the right to die, why should children be any different.
I have seen these children on TV interviews for various fundraisers and such. What amazed me was their maturity and deep sense of reality.
 
SouthernDemocrat said:
There are no specifics in the case of course, but if the kid had cancer the last few weeks can be the most unendurable pain imaginable. I remember watching my mom die of cancer and thinking there is nothing that could ever be worse than having to watch your child die like that. If this saved that kid from that final 2 weeks of hell, then it is a blessing.
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Unfortunately, the child still went through hell. The death was due to no food or water. I am sure that the sedation helped, but better would have been a shot to put the child to sleep. The shot is still illegal in Belgium.
 
danarhea said:
Unfortunately, the child still went through hell. The death was due to no food or water. I am sure that the sedation helped, but better would have been a shot to put the child to sleep. The shot is still illegal in Belgium.
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That is due to our natural repugnance of taking a child's life. Eventually it will change.
 
danarhea said:
Unfortunately, the child still went through hell. The death was due to no food or water. I am sure that the sedation helped, but better would have been a shot to put the child to sleep. The shot is still illegal in Belgium.
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Often when you die of a cancer of the abdominal region (ovarian, stomach, intestinal, uterine and so on), you die by starving to death. You are extremely hungry, but you throw up anything you eat and throw up a cancerous fluid dozens of times a day. I saw my mom go throw it when she died of ovarian / uterine at age 56. The last 3 and a half weeks of her life consisted of nothing but extreme pain and slow starvation. You can't give someone like that enough morphine. Nothing helps. After seeing that slow horror I realized that the biggest moral crime in our society today is that still in 45 states we force people to die like that. It is flat out unconscionable.
 
SouthernDemocrat said:
Often when you die of a cancer of the abdominal region (ovarian, stomach, intestinal, uterine and so on), you die by starving to death. You are extremely hungry, but you throw up anything you eat and throw up a cancerous fluid dozens of times a day. I saw my mom go throw it when she died of ovarian / uterine at age 56. The last 3 and a half weeks of her life consisted of nothing but extreme pain and slow starvation. You can't give someone like that enough morphine. Nothing helps. After seeing that slow horror I realized that the biggest moral crime in our society today is that still in 45 states we force people to die like that. It is flat out unconscionable.
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I am so sorry about your Mom and that she didn't have options available to her. Here in Canada, doctor assisted dying is now legal across the country, it just became so this year. It's only for adults, though.
 
Groogrux said:
I'm not sure I'd ever be able to shake all the "what ifs".
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Having watched my mother die from cancer I can tell you first hand that there are no "what if's" in some situations.
There are clear stages of deterioration and very obvious stages of no coming back.

Other than a full on appearance of "God" himself/herself, there comes a time when "what if" definitely turns to "please let this end soon".

You realize the wishing (or praying) for more time is selfishness on your part and for sure not the best or most humane wish for the one that's dying.

When it becomes inevitable, and many times it's not difficult to tell when that is, you can only hope you'd do the right thing.

I support the concept and practice of euthanasia. Even for children.
(Under certain and very specific circumstances.)
 
No specifics and inconsistent use of the word "euthanasia" make it abjectly impossible to weigh in here.
 
Dragonfly said:
Having watched my mother die from cancer I can tell you first hand that there are no "what if's" in some situations.
There are clear stages of deterioration and very obvious stages of no coming back.

Other than a full on appearance of "God" himself/herself, there comes a time when "what if" definitely turns to "please let this end soon".

You realize the wishing (or praying) for more time is selfishness on your part and for sure not the best or most humane wish for the one that's dying.

When it becomes inevitable, and many times it's not difficult to tell when that is, you can only hope you'd do the right thing.

I support the concept and practice of euthanasia. Even for children.
(Under certain and very specific circumstances.)
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It's not about spending more time with them for my benefit. It's the chance that they may find a cure. Obviously with late stage cancer that's not going to happen, but in the case of other incurable diseases...
 
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